Anderson & Roe piano duo
In addition to playing solo performances, Anderson concertizes with his piano duo partner, fellow Steinway Artist [7] Elizabeth Joy Roe. The duo's partnership has been characterized as "the intense synchronization of genius" [8] [9] and "the most dynamic duo of this generation." [10] In the book "Driven: Six Incredible Musical Journeys" Nick Romeo writes, "[Anderson & Roe] hook listeners by putting into practice an expanded concept of what classical music can be: sexy, funny, personal, and interactive." [11] Adrian Daub's book "Four-Handed Monsters" calls Anderson & Roe "one of the most successful piano duos active in the United States," citing the duo's "innovative, frequently pop-inflected repertoire (a few years ago they premiered a four-hand transcription of the Star Wars soundtrack), and their ironic emphasis of the eroticism of four-hand performance." [12]
They are widely known for their daring four-hand piano technique, as described by the Southampton Press: "Their hand movements and the intertwining of arms, and it seemed at times of fingers, was elaborately and brilliantly choreographed. There were times when their hands seemed magically to occupy the same space, though they were playing different notes. The entire process was a small ballet of the hands, as wonderful to watch as to hear." [2]
Their albums on the Steinway Label (When Words Fade, An Amadeus Affair, and The Art of Bach) have spent dozens of weeks at the top of the Billboard Classical Charts. [13]
Anderson & Roe served as webcast hosts for the inaugural Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival in 2015. [14] They provided competitor information and Competition commentary, and conducted interviews to provide behind-the-scenes insight. [15] Anderson & Roe then served as hosts of the 15th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and #Cliburn2017 Webcast in 2017. [16]
Anderson & Roe have made orchestral appearances with the San Francisco Symphony, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Boulder Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony, and Hartford Symphony Orchestra. [17] In 2018 the duo were artists in residence with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The duo has performed at Carnegie Hall, [18] David Geffen Hall, Kennedy Center, [19] Herbst Theatre, [20] The National Theater and Concert Hall, [21] Seoul Arts Center, [22] National Centre for the Performing Arts, [23] Auckland Town Hall, [24] Romanian Athenaeum, [25] and Hercules Hall (Herkulessaal) in the Munich Residenz. [26]
In 2017 Anderson & Roe was a recipient of a Club Cumming “YAAAAAAAS” award. [27]
Composer
Anderson's oeuvre consists of arrangements, fantasies, and original compositions. "[Anderson's] musical paraphrases exhibit many of the traits Franz Liszt developed in his famous paraphrases of Italian opera in the nineteenth century: they're virtuosic and often playful transformations of familiar material into novel forms and styles." [11] Many of the works written for the piano duo are credited in concert programs and on CD notes as being by Anderson & Roe; however, ASCAP and the published scores list Anderson as the sole composer. [28]
Anderson's works have been premiered at the Rose Bowl, Alice Tully Hall, Gilmore Keyboard Festival, [29] and the Grand National Theater in China. His compositions for The 5 Browns and Jenny Lin have appeared on the EMI, Sony/BMG, Steinway, and E1 Entertainment record labels. [1] In 2015, Anderson & Roe premiered Anderson's arrangement of Brahms’ Double Concerto for two pianos and orchestra with the Santa Fe Symphony. [17] His scores are published by Alfred Music on the “Anderson & Roe Duos & Duets Series” [30] and by Awkward Fermata Press. [28]
Music video producer
Anderson & Roe's self-produced music videos have been showcased at film festivals and nominated for an Emmy Award. [31] [32] Their videos have been viewed over 13 million times on YouTube [33] which, according to Nick Romeo in the book "Driven: Six Incredible Musical Journeys," makes Anderson & Roe "one of the most popular piano duos in the world." [11]
Jay Wilson blogs, Anderson & Roe's music videos "explore the narrative suggested by the music they play, [and they] allow the viewer access to the physical element of piano duetting." [34]
